Overview
Natural Resources, Environment and Biological Sciences roles support California’s communities by enforcing conservation regulations, responding to natural disasters and conducting research to inform policy. These careers are often found in the field, laboratory or working with community stakeholders.
What You Might Work On
In California state government, professionals in this field often:
- Conduct surveys or evaluations to monitor the status of environmental phenomena
- Carry out physical labor in the field such as collecting samples or clearing out flammable brush
- Create reports and educational materials to keep the public informed
- Create experiments and perform technical analysis of data
Is This a Good Fit?
While roles and responsibilities vary, you might enjoy this field if you:
- Enjoy working directly with peers in the field, potentially under emergency circumstances
- Want to contribute to programs with broad sustainability impact
- Want to manage or support research projects to inform regulations
Job Classifications
What are job classifications?
Job classifications map to specific job titles found across California state government. A corresponding code maps to the required exam for that classification. For example, 00100490 is the code for a Pest Prevention Assistant.
How to use them:
You can use the job classifications to search for positions on CalCareers in the classification section within the advanced search filter. You can also use key words to find roles in the search bar on the home page. Below is a list of common examples, but additional roles and classifications can be found on CalCareers.
| Exam Code | Classification Name | Common Keywords | What You’ll Do |
|---|---|---|---|
| 00100034 | Agricultural Technician | Technician, Agricultural Technician | This entry level seasonal role works in a field, laboratory or an office setting, and inspects agricultural commodities and vehicles to ensure compliance with quarantine laws and regulations. In this role you may also assist with entomological or plant pest work, hide and brand inspections, livestock identification, livestock sampling activities and environmental monitoring and pesticide use/management. |
| 00101085 | Forestry Technician | Forester, Forestry Technician, Technician | Typical assignments in this entry level role include state land surveys, chaparral management, nursery operations, insect control, pre-fire planning, inspection and program administration. In this role you are considered a part of the department’s emergency response team and will perform fire suppression, prevention and/or inspection duties during fire season. Individuals entering the series at any level will complete a basic Forest Fire Fighter Training Course prior to working on emergency assignments. |
| 00100762 | Environmental Scientist | Biologist, Environmental Scientist | In this entry level role, you will gather data on public health, environmental, agricultural productivity and natural resource management issues. Duties may include performing preliminary environmental analysis, research, preparing preliminary drafts of reports, answering questions from the public and preparing regulatory and compliance documents. |
| 00100916 | Fish and Wildlife Technician | Fish and Wildlife Technician | This entry level role will work at a department facility such as a fish hatchery or planting base. Duties may include caring for fish from spawn through hatching and early life, testing and treating fish for disease, recording information, building and repairing parts for equipment and monitoring research support devices. |
| 00101029 | Conservationist | Conservationist; Conservation | This entry level role is a direct pipeline from the California Conservation Corps. In this role you will support conservation related projects, administer educational programs, mentor crew members and staff and represent the department in emergency and public settings. Assignments may be specific to include but are not limited to leading crews on the grade or in the field, acting in a relief capacity as an advisor in a residential or satellite facility and leading energy crews. |
| 00105582 | Research Scientist | Biologist, Research Scientist, Epidemiology | This is an entry level position used for many scientific fields including biology, biostatistics, microbiology and epidemiology. This role will plan, organize and carry out scientific research studies and may serve as a team member on projects and investigations or act as a technical scientific consultant. This role will analyze and draw conclusions from research studies relevant to public and/or environmental health. |
Where You Could Work
State government is broad — so where do you start?
One approach is to focus on a type of role. Another is to focus on a mission area or the kind of impact you want to have (i.e., in public health, education, transportation or elsewhere).
Keep in mind: mission areas often span multiple agencies, so you may find relevant roles in places you wouldn’t expect!
Professionals in this field work across many state agencies depending on mission area, including:
- Biology: California Department of Public Health
- Conservation: California Natural Resources Agency
- Education & Research: California Delta Stewardship Council
- Infrastructure & Planning: California Department of Parks and Recreation
- Public Safety & Emergency Management: California Department of Pesticide Regulation
Examples of California Agencies with Natural Resources, Environment and Biological Sciences
Did you know you could have a natural resources, environment and biological sciences career at one of these agencies? Note: This is not an exhaustive list of all the options in California state government, but a helpful starting place as you begin exploring your future natural resources, environment and biological sciences career!
| Agency Name |
|---|
| California Conservation Corps |
| California Delta Stewardship Council |
| California Department of Fish and Wildlife |
| California Department of Food and Agriculture |
| California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection |
| California Department of Parks and Recreation |
| California Department of Pesticide Regulation |
| California Department of Public Health |
| California Energy Commission |
| California Environmental Health Hazard Assessment Office |
| California Natural Resources Agency |
| California State Coastal Conservancy |
| California Tahoe Conservancy |
Are you interested specifically in careers at the California Natural Resources Agency? Did you know you can visit their own career center in Sacramento?
Visit the California Natural Resources Agency Career Center, also known as the Poppy Pavilion, at 715 P. Street in Sacramento from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
Sample Positions
Project Support Analyst [00105157]
| Employer / agency | California State Coastal Conservancy |
|---|---|
| Location(s) | Alameda County |
| Mission context | The Conservancy works with others on multi-benefit projects located along the coast of California, within coastal watersheds and within the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area. |
In this role, you may:
- Assist with disbursing state funding and managing projects to acquire and protect natural and agricultural lands, restore and enhance habitats and ecosystems, design and build trails and other recreational facilities, plan and implement climate adaptation projects, provide environmental education and improve public access for historically underserved communities
- Solicit and review grant applications, write and present staff recommendations for Conservancy Board approval, develop grant agreements in cooperation with legal staff and ensure that all conditions of the grant agreement are met
Fish and Wildlife Scientific Aid [00100835]
| Employer / agency | California Department of Fish and Wildlife |
|---|---|
| Location(s) | Napa County |
| Mission context | Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) employees are committed to managing and protecting California’s diverse wildlife and the habitats upon which they depend. |
In this role, you may:
- Provide support for nesting shorebird surveys, small mammal trapping and vegetation surveys
- Contribute to data entry/organization and permit-required monitoring of restored salt ponds
- Assist with secretive marsh bird surveys, data entry/proofing, file organizing, other habitat projects and reporting suspicious activity on the wildlife area
Defensible Space Inspector (Forester) [00101085]
| Employer / agency | California Department of Forestry & Fire Protection |
|---|---|
| Location(s) | San Diego County |
| Mission context | The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) is California’s fire department and resource management agency. The organization is comprised of nearly 12,000 permanent and seasonal employees. The mission of the department is to serve and safeguard the people and protect the property and resources of California. |
In this role, you may:
- Conduct inspections of private property within the State Responsibility Area to ensure compliance for those bordering a mountainous area, forest-covered lands, brush-covered lands, grass-covered lands or land that is covered with flammable material
- Implement the inspection plan to efficiently cover the targeted areas and maximize public contact through defensible space inspections
- Assist in the development and distribution of educational material and media releases pertaining to defensible space
- Provide guidance and education on home hardening
